Thomas Tuchel has hinted that Arsenal youngster Max Dowman has the chance of receiving a maiden call-up for England’s 2026 World Cup squad.
The England national team boss named his 35-man squad today, March 20, for the upcoming international window. The Three Lions will first face Uruguay on March 27 at Wembley before hosting Japan on the same ground four days later.
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Following his heroics in Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Everton, many expected Dowman to get to surprise call up for the friendlies. While Dowman wasn’t named in the group, Tuchel did not rule out the chances of the 16-year-old forcing his way into the squad for the World Cup.
“He is in the spotlight now,” Tuchel told a press conference on Friday. “He is an outstanding talent, everyone who tells me about Max praises him and is full of compliments. The reality is at the minute, he is competing for minutes and is not a regular starter for Arsenal. I think he’s in a fantastic environment at a competitive club, a stable club, a club where teamwork is the no1 role.
“He learns from the best. With these young guys, we see these players as you do as well. At the moment he is in a good place to fight for minutes and fight for his place at Arsenal and we always have the chance to maybe call him up for the World Cup. The thing with young players is to keep the momentum going and keep their excitement. They have a level of fearless but no need to call him up now and increase the pressure and the noise that comes with it.”
Dowman made history in the Premier League on March 14, 2026, after sealing a 2-0 win for Arsenal. In the process, he became the youngest ever player to score in the English top flight.
Arsenal’s Max Dowman tipped to earn first England cap
Max Dowman will represent the England national team, according to Joleon Lescott, who believes the youngster ‘has got the chance of being a world-class talent’.
Speaking to All Out Football, Lescott suggested that Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha could be the first to make his debut for the Three Lions but backed Dowman to also play for the country’s senior team.
“Going back to Max, he’s definitely going to play for England,” Lescott said. “And we were speaking about, he has got a chance, he’s got a chance of being a world-class talent, 100 per cent. But I don’t know who he’s ahead of to not go (to the World Cup).”
So far, Dowman has represented England’s U16, U17, and U19 sides. His most recent appearance was for the U19 side in November 2021 in the EURO U19 Championship Qualifiers.
Edited by Ezekiel Olamide
